Item 1: Apparently the word “curate” or “curation” has become an irritant to some. It has a certain modern day digital meaning apart from what we archaeologists usually take it to mean:
The truth is, a blog is simply a flexible and easy way to publish anything you want. People use Wordpress to publish today as an easy replacement for static html sites. They use them as landing page creators and list builders. And, increasingly, they use them to “curate” content.
Content curation is nothing new. It is just misunderstood. Curation is not an autoblog where software spits out content from RSS feeds or low quality articles or videos. It is also not devoid of original content. Real curation is taking content you deem important, ground-breaking, entertaining, informative, or thought provoking and combining it with your personal take.
Hmmmmm. . . .I guess I’ve been mostly doing that anyway. Ahead of the curve once again. Go me.
Item 2: I’ve spent the last few days trying to track down my paternal ancestry. Specifically, to see if I have Amerindian blood running through these veins. Family lore on dad’s side had it that some ancestor was an “Indian princess” but that’s about all we’ve ever come up with. The ArchaeoSister has been doing the yeoman’s work on this (although not that much actually), but I’ve gotten in on it lately as well. We’ve found one Ada P. Barnett — which is almost my dad’s grandmother’s name — who appeared on the Dawes Roll as 1/4 Indian by blood. . .which is about what everyone’s been saying. Supposedly, we are from the Creeks. Unfortunately, her name was apparently Ada Estelle Barnett, not P. Not sure if that puts a nail in the coffin (as it were) as I suppose it could be a mistake, and the ArchaeoSister can’t seem to find anyone before Ada E. or Ada P. So the search continues.
Interestingly, she just sent me something written by another relative on the origin of the Cagle family and it turns out that I ultimately hail from Germany on both sides and that the original settler from Germany on my dad’s side was one Leonhart/Leonhardt/Leinhart Kegel. Coincidentally, my dad’s name was also Leonard.
Not that it all means much, not like I’m going to either start wearing lederhosen or pow-wowing or anything. On the other hand, it’s not like I’d be above putting “Amerindian” “Native American” on my bio and hope to snag a coveted Minority Set-aside position. . . . .
I suppose in that case my tribal name would be. . . . .Token.
